Photo shows the assorted firearms that were surrendered to the Marine Battalion Landing Team-1 by six barangay chairpersons of Siasi, Sulu. (Photo courtesy: Navforwem PIO)
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The heads of six villages in Siasi, Sulu surrendred assorted high powered firearms to troops of the Marine Battalion Landing Team-1 (MBLT-1), the military reported Saturday.
Rear Adm. Rene Medina, Naval Forces Western Mindanao (Navforwem) command chief, said the firearms were surrendered to the 1st Matine Company on Wednesday in Barangay Poblacion, Siasi, Sulu.
Medina said the firearms that were surrendered included the following: four caliber .30 M1 Garand rifle; one M-14 rifle; and, one US-made M1 Carbin rifle with ammunition.
Medina did not identify who were the village heads who surrendered the unlicensed guns.
He said the other barangay chairs in the town of Siasi have also signified intention to turnover their unlicensed firearms.
Siasi, which is a second class town in Sulu, comprises of 50 barangays. The town has a population of 67,705 based on the 2015 census.
Medina said the continuous surrender of firearms is the outcome of the series of community dialogues by the Philippine Marine Ready Force-Sulu.
He said they are confident that more firearms would be laid down by barangay leaders and their constituents in Sulu.
He added the continued cooperation of the military and local government units is beneficial in attaining a peaceful and developed Western Mindanao. (PNA)
